On the evening of the next day, the 17th, we weighed, and steered West by
South across the Gulf; and in the afternoon of the 18th passed eleven
miles from Cape Wessel, according to the position assigned to it in the
chart: but as the weather was tolerably clear, and nothing was seen of
it, there appeared to be some truth in the report I had previously heard
of its being to the southward of the position given to it.

The wind freshened by midnight, and, as usual, became more southerly,
that is to say, South-South-East, whilst during the day it was generally
East-South-East and East, and very much lighter. The current was steady
at North-West by West from half a knot to three-quarters per hour,
maintaining about the same direction and strength as in 1839. On the
evening of the 19th we crossed the meridian of the centre of New Year
Island, which our observations placed in 8 degrees 52 minutes west of
Booby Island, one mile less than Flinders.

RETURN TO PORT ESSINGTON.

It was late in the afternoon of the 20th before we reached an anchorage
off the settlement of Victoria, where we met Captain Stanley, who had
just returned in the Britomart from a cruise in the Arafura Sea, of which
the reader will find an interesting account, from his own pen, in the
following chapter.


CHAPTER 2.10. INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO.

Leave Port Essington.
Dobbo Island.
Visit from the Schoolmaster.